Nassau - Disappointed in the FNM Government's move to enforce a 12% VAT hike on Bahamian citizens, Opposition Leader Philip ‘Brave' Davis strongly cautioned them at a PLP rally to stop taxing the people ‘half to death' as a way of balancing their budget.

Davis explained that the VAT increase is really about the government's belief that they can put this tax burden on Bahamians because it would place them in a better financial position for the next three years. Unfortunately, he said this will not work in favour of the people as while they seek to balance the budget, it will only be a certain group who will get to eat the fat of the land as others watch and wither.

The PLP leader said when international pressure tried to get the former PLP Administration to launch VAT at 15%, they said ‘no’ and slashed it in half because they put Bahamians first. “We have a government that doesn't believe in Bahamians, the poor or young people,” he said. “Everywhere you go, they are firing Bahamians. Bahamasair is newest among group to expect firings and then they have the audacity to proclaim that it’s the people's time, people's time my foot.”

Davis pointed out that when international pressures came for the former PLP Government to fix numbers to make them look good, they were committed to doubling their investment in education, putting measures in place for a comprehensive National Health Insurance Scheme and charting the course to food security.

“ Minnis, you lied your way to Government and you continue to lie to the Bahamian people,” he said. “But I want you to know that no lie lasts forever. This type of authoritarian leadership does not abode well for our country. We will no longer give up our freedoms. We will not be taken advantage of or be walked over,” he said. “Those were the days of the past and Sir Lynden and his team took care of that a long time ago.”

He said when international pressure came to them to compromise our national sovereignty, the PLP government laid the framework for owning our airspace, saved Bahamar from becoming a ‘ghost hotel' and ensured that more Bahamians became qualified to fill jobs previously held by non-Bahamians.

“The Prime Minister promised to promote a climate of fairness and openness with no room for victimization. He promised transparency and accountability and today, all we are getting is one pile of secrecy” Davis said. “Plenty backdoor wheeling and dealing, I now believe stealing! You can call it corruption, I say it is all one and the same. What is worse than corruption is the illusion of integrity.”